Numbers 18:17

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they [are] holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat [for] an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to the LORD.

Numbers 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 18:17

But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or
the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem
That is, shalt not take the redemption price for them, but the creatures themselves; which they, the priests, were to take for their own use:

they [are] holy;
separated to the Lord, and therefore not to be used in common by men, but were sacred to the Lord, or became the property of his priests; see ( Deuteronomy 15:19 ) ; how they were to be made use of follows:

thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar;
for they were to be sacrificed, and their blood used as in other sacrifices:

and shalt burn their fat [for] an offering made by fire; for a sweet
savour unto the Lord;
as the fat of other sacrifices was, and particularly of the peace offerings, which were wholly eaten otherwise, ( Leviticus 7:31 ) .

Numbers 18:17 In-Context

15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring to the LORD, [whether] of men or beast, shall be thine: nevertheless, the first born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thy estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which [is] twenty gerahs.

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they [are] holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat [for] an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to the LORD.

18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave-breast and as the right shoulder are thine

19 All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, have I given to thee, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it [is] a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD to thee and to thy seed with thee.